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Janet Todd Sees Anissa Meksen As Formidable Challenger

ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Janet “JT” Todd has been eyeing a rematch with former two-sport World Champion Stamp Fairtex, but first, she may have to defend her throne against promotional newcomer Anissa “C18” Meksen.

Hardcore kickboxing fans consider Meksen one of the best pound-for-pound strikers in the world, and her record backs that up.

The French native owns a 100-5 professional slate, including 32 knockouts. She is also a two-time Glory Women’s Super Bantamweight World Champion – an impressive resume that is not lost on the American.

“She definitely has a reputation and was at the top at GLORY. If I want to be the best in the world, that’s somebody that I should definitely fight,” Todd said.

Although Meksen hasn’t competed against Todd or most of the other top atomweight strikers in ONE Super Series,  she's defeated world-class opponents like Jady Menezes, Sofia Olofsson, and Iman “Pretty Killer” Barlow.

Aside from being a Glory World Champion, Meksen picked up five other Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Titles, which means Todd will have to come into this clash – should it happen – in top form.

With that said, “JT” is used to competing against the sport’s best. She’s already defeated Stamp and top-five ranked atomweights Alma Juniku and Anne “Ninja” Line Hogstad.

“I think the matchup with her will be very good. She’s fast. She’s strong. She has good technique. She was the GLORY Champ,” Todd added.

“So I think any fight with her would be good – whether it’s in [a] Grand Prix or whether it’s defending the kickboxing title or [fighting for an] interim Muay Thai belt. It would be a good challenge for me. I think it’d be good.”

Download the ONE Super App for more ONE Championship martial arts action!

Read More From ONE Championship:

Rodtang Wants To Claim Ennahachi’s Kickboxing Gold, Compete In MMA

Team Lakay’s Jeremy Pacatiw Signs With ONE Championship

Nastyukhin, Buist Call Out Alvarez Over World Title Shot Claim

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ONE Championship Signs Second Team Lakay Athlete In Two-Week Span

Just a few weeks ago, ONE Championship announced the signing of Jhanlo Sangiao, the prodigal son of Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao.

This week, the martial arts organization picked up another rising star from the fabled stable – Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw.

“I know this is God’s plan. This is the perfect time for me to join ONE,” Pacatiw said.

“When coach Mark told me that I will be signed, I was very excited and happy. But I was also nervous because I know that in ONE Championship, I’ll be fighting against high-caliber athletes. There’s also pressure because I’m a part of a well-known team like Team Lakay.

“But I handle it through maintaining my focus on the path I want to go to so that I can achieve my goals. My seniors have also reminded me to [work] double-time and focus on my training because this is already a big organization and I’ll be facing a lot of high-caliber opponents. So, I really have to train hard.”

Pacatiw’s background, like many of his teammates, lies in wushu. But he also possesses ground skills after competing in mixed martial arts since 2015.

He joins ONE Championship with a 10-4 professional record, having won four of his last five bouts. And while he's yet to compete on the global stage, he’s tested himself in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America.

"The Juggernaut" will compete in ONE Championship’s bantamweight mixed martial arts division alongside his teammates Stephen “The Sniper” Loman, Sangiao, and former ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon.

“My short-term goal is to gain the hearts of the fans and give them a good fight,” Pacatiw added.

“I want my debut to be an impressive win and I need to work to be able to reach my goals.”

Download the ONE Super App for more martial arts action!

Read More From ONE Championship:

Team Lakay’s Jeremy Pacatiw Signs With ONE Championship

Janet Todd ‘Definitely’ Hopes To Fight Anissa Meksen

Nastyukhin, Buist Call Out Alvarez Over World Title Shot Claim

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3 Reasons To Follow ONE Championship Star Amir Khan On Instagram

Due to his success inside the ONE Championship Circle, Amir Khan has become one of Singapore’s most recognizable mixed martial arts stars.

His social media presence is just as strong. He’s got over 65,000 followers on Instagram alone – and he loves sharing his journey with them.

If you’re not yet following Khan on Instagram, here are three reasons why you should.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqpMSvPORMI

#1 Inspiring Messages

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQGDRhhBN9l/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In today’s world, we can all use a little inspiration to keep us going, and Khan’s Instagram account certainly delivers.

The Singaporean often posts about confidence, mental toughness, and overcoming failure, all things he's experienced firsthand.

Who better to get your motivation from than someone who's lived through it all?

#2 Training Clips

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPIJDy5h9FG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Not only does Khan post inspiring messages, but he also uploads training clips that revolve around mixed martial arts, cardio, conditioning, and strength.

Whether he's at Evolve MMA or getting fit outdoors, Khan's workouts will motivate you to hit the gym – or the ground – running.

From the looks of it, it’s no wonder why Khan is such a well-versed athlete.

#3 Family Fun

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDlUVQNB24r/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

It’s not all business for the man from Singapore. When he’s not preparing for a fight in ONE Championship, he’s spending time with those he loves most – his wife and son.

Khan likes to share photos of family holidays, walks through Singapore, and silly moments like the one above in the ball pit.

Download the ONE Super App for more martial arts action!

Read More From ONE Championship:

Team Lakay’s Jeremy Pacatiw Signs With ONE Championship

Janet Todd ‘Definitely’ Hopes To Fight Anissa Meksen

Nastyukhin, Buist Call Out Alvarez Over World Title Shot Claim

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The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition's Success To Open More Doors, Says Chatri

Certainly, The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition lived up to its billing as the toughest iteration of the show yet.

Sixteen global candidates were subjected to taxing physical tasks and high-stakes business competitions for the better part of the past three months that truly, the best of the best came through and ended with Jessica Ramella being named as ‘the one’ – winning the $250,000 job offer to be the protégé and chief of staff of ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore.

But the victory for the 31-year-old sales director from Venezuela is just the start.

Sityodtong shared that the tense finale between Ramella and Louie Sangalang is just the tip of the iceberg as a second season of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is on its way.

“When we do season two of ‘The Apprentice,’ it will have an entirely different twist and a different flavor from season one,” he said.

The success of the inaugural season brings much confidence on the part of Chatri that he could unearth more warriors who could join Asia's largest global sports media property.

Season one definitely set the standard. And that puts more challenge for the production crew to level up the competition whenever season two comes.

“Our ethos at ONE Championship is that we are always looking for ways to learn, grow, evolve, and improve. With that spirit, the show will be bigger, better, and badder than season one,” he said.

It may be the toughest job interview ever taken by the 16 global candidates, but Sityodtong said that the stringent process they went through doesn’t really differ that much from the hiring process at ONE Championship.

After all, if you’re one of the leaders in mixed martial arts, you only want nothing but the best.

“The whole ‘Apprentice’ process was very much like the interview process at ONE Championship - or even the way we work at ONE Championship. We only give out one job for every 200 applicants, but that's also why only the very best of superstars can not only survive but thrive in ONE Championship. Because we have a high standard of excellence, passion, and a real sense of purpose,” he said.

And Chatri wasn’t alone in digging those gems, with 12 of his CEO friends lending a hand in the tedious process.

Some of those industry leaders who lent a hand were Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, Grab CEO Anthony Tan, Zilingo CEO Ankiti Bose, Catcha Group CEO Patrick Grove, Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson, and Everise CEO Sudhir Agarwal.

Of course, by Sityodtong’s side was his ‘right hand woman', ONE Senior Vice President Niharika Singh.

Also among the most notable names in the world of mixed martial arts also paid a visit to the candidates, namely Georges “Rush” St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie, former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren, former ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee, ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu Phogat, Karate World Champion Sage Northcutt, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan.

“From that perspective, I applied the exact same lens I use to find the best superstars in the world every day for ONE Championship in ‘The Apprentice’. Of course, I was able to see a different light because of the physical challenges and the pressures of being on a TV show. I could see how candidates could break with no sleep and relentless pressure. But the truth is, if you want to do anything extraordinary in life, you have to be prepared to go above and beyond your limits, you have to be prepared to suffer for your greatness,” Chatri said.

Sityodtong, however, isn’t limiting his doors to only ‘The Apprentice’.

One of the world’s most powerful men in mixed martial arts said that he’s open to expanding these kinds of programs, especially with the ever growing assets the ONE Group has under its umbrella.

“We have looked at other content stacks,” he said. “We definitely have explored different content stacks from around the world where we could marry the ONE Championship IP or ONE Esports IP into the show.”

Until then, everyone’s got to wait for Chatri’s next move.

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Mongkolpetch Nabs Victory Over Elias Mahmoudi In ONE: FULL BLAST II Main Event

It was a back-and-forth battle in the main event of ONE: FULL BLAST II on Friday, 11 June, but in the end, Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy got two of the three judges’ nods to score a majority decision win over #4-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi.

The ONE Super Series Muay Thai bout started off with both men exchanging low kicks, but Mongkolpetch’s were much more effective, as he tore into the fleshy thigh of Mahmoudi and racked up early damage on the French-Algerian.

In round two, the Thai picked up the pace and scored an eight-count on Mahmoudi. The knockdown came after “The Sniper” went for a knee-punch combination and got caught with a starching right hand.

From then on out, Mongkolpetch stayed in control – both on the outside with strikes and on the inside of the clinch – to keep his ONE Super Series record blemish-free at 4-0.

The victory likely helped him enter the top-five rankings and got him closer to ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

In the co-main event of ONE: FULL BLAST II, lightweight Amarsanaa “Spear” Tsogookhuu used his superior striking to earn a unanimous decision win over organizational newcomer Ben Wilhelm, who picked up the first loss of his mixed martial arts career.

The debuting American handled Tsogookhuu’s striking skills early on, but the Mongolian’s punches and kicks racked up the points needed to earn the victory.

Full Results For ONE: FULL BLAST II

Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy defeats Elias Mahmoudi via majority decision (Muay Thai – catchweight of 62.8 kilograms)

Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu defeats Ben Wilhelm via unanimous decision (mixed martial arts – lightweight)

Yoon Chang Min defeats Ma Jia Wen via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:46 of round one (mixed martial arts – featherweight)

Taiki Naito defeats Wang Wenfeng via unanimous decision (kickboxing – flyweight)

Download the ONE Super App for more ONE Championship martial arts action!

Read More From ONE Championship:

Tsogookhuu Frustrates Ben Wilhelm At ONE: FULL BLAST II

Yoon Chang Min Shocks Wrestling Star Ma Jia Wen With Early Choke

Taiki Naito Hammers Wang Wenfeng With Low Kicks To Earn Decision Win

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'The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition' Crowns 'The ONE' in Epic Season Finale

The inaugural season of "The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition" came to a close with its epic season finale. Episode 13 aired on Thursday, 10 June, and crowned a winner after 12 weeks of intense competition. 

In the finale, Singapore-based Sales Director Jessica Ramella from Venezuela went head-to-head with former Mixed Martial Arts Champion Louie Sangalang from the Philippines. 

Surprise Zoom Session 

ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong sat down with Jessica and Louie over breakfast at the Andaz Presidential Suite. 

Chatri said Jessica possessed the main attributes he was looking for in a Chief Of Staff, which includes creative hustle, likeability, and intelligence. He labeled Louie a "silent assassin" whose best qualities include being cool, calm, and collected under pressure. The ONE CEO also praised Louie's outstanding leadership capabilities. 

Before leaving the candidates for the day, Chatri presented them with a special message from Eric Yuan, the Founder and CEO of Zoom. Afterward, Jessica and Louie were treated to a Zoom call with their loved ones. 

Jessica talked to her mother, Daniela, and told her she wanted to win the competition to give her a better life. Louie called his wife, Kaye, and assured her that the next time they spoke, he would be "The ONE."  

Physical Task: Extreme Workouts at Henderson Waves 

Feeling extra motivated after talking to their family, Jessica and Louie entered the last physical task of the season. 

The finalists met with members of Evolve Fight Team, led by Head Coach Siyar Bahadurzada, to participate in a series of extreme workouts that would showcase their willpower and prove their mettle. 

Workouts included a resistance band run, boxing focus mitts, and battle ropes. Jessica proved she could compete with Louie, a legitimate athlete, and showed incredible mental strength as she powered through the courses. For his part, Louie said Jessica was a worthy opponent. 

Highlights of the finalists' journey from the very first episode to the last reminded viewers of just how tough a road it was to reach this point. 

Task Captain Dom Lau then gave Jessica and Louie an emotional send-off before the final business challenge of the season. 

Business Challenge: The Final Interview 

Jessica and Louie were put through the wringer in arguably the toughest job interview of their professional careers. But before they met with Chatri and Anthony Tan, Founder and CEO of Grab, Advisor Niharika Singh addressed some of their concerns and gave them a few pointers. 

Louie felt his lack of credentials could hurt his chances at landing the job, but Niharika assured him Chatri never made a decision on a potential hire based on paper qualifications. Jessica worried that Chatri had doubts about whether or not she was right for the role. However, Niharika peeled away at Jessica’s layers and urged her to show more confidence. 

Jessica and Louie took turns interviewing for the role of ONE Championship Chief of Staff, speaking to both Chatri and Anthony. They were asked typical interview questions, but with US$250,000 and the chance to become Chatri’s protege on the line, each spoken word carried immense weight. 

Louie emphasized his experience as a martial artist and said he understood the very ethos of ONE Championship, which is its athletes. Jessica said she banked on her fighting spirit to overcome tremendous challenges in life, which brought her to this very moment. 

The ONE 

Jessica and Louie walked into the boardroom for the last time. There to meet them were Chatri and Niharika as the final decision loomed. Chatri recapped each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, acknowledging their routes to the finale.  

Chatri praised Louie for his integrity and ability to lead with calm judgement. However, he was worried about whether or not he could earn the trust of those he would be tasked to lead. Chatri praised Jessica for her wide range of skills, and for her grace and dignity in the face of adversity. However, he questioned her risk-taking ability and close-guardedness. 

After each of the finalists were given the chance to make their final case, Chatri and Niharika deliberated for the last time. 

In the end, Jessica was named “The ONE” and the new Chief of Staff at the world’s largest martial arts organization, ONE Championship. 

More information on “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” can be found at: https://www.onefc.com/the-apprentice 

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The Stakes Are High For Mongkolpetch And Elias Mahmoudi At ‘FULL BLAST II’

Two of ONE Championship’s flyweight striking stars are ready to clash in a catchweight main event at ONE: FULL BLAST II, which airs this Friday, 11 June.

Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy will meet #4-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai matchup, and both athletes have a lot riding on the line.

Mongkolpetch has been unbeatable during his tenure in ONE Championship, going 3-0 since joining the organization in 2019.

He debuted with a win over Alex “Phet” Serepisos, scored a sophomore victory over Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri, and then defeated Kun Khmer Flyweight World Champion Sok Thy at ONE: NO SURRENDER III.

Mongkolpetch will look to make Mahmoudi number four, but beyond that, he’s hoping to use this fight as a stepping stone to the division's reigning king – ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

A win for Mongkolpetch over #4-ranked Mahmoudi would certainly further his case for a ONE World Title shot. But the same could be said for “The Sniper.”

Mahmoudi last competed in the Circle against Muay Thai legend Lerdsila Phuket Top Team. He put on a spectacular showing to defeat the Thai by unanimous decision.

And unlike Mongkolpetch, Mahmoudi has competed for a ONE World Title. He challenged Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy for the inaugural ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE: WARRIORS OF LIGHT but came up short.

The French-Algerian is undoubtedly looking for a second shot at greatness, and a win over Mongkolpetch this Friday would help him get there.

Catch all the action from the previously recorded ONE: FULL BLAST II this Friday, 11 June, at 8:30 p.m. on the ONE Super App.

Read More From ONE Championship:

Tawanchai, Seo Hee Ham Crash ONE’s Athlete Rankings

Mongkolpetch Warns Mahmoudi: ‘Watch Out For My Fist’

How To Watch ONE: FULL BLAST II on 11 June

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Christian Lee Would Fight Eddie Alvarez When World Title Shot Is ‘Justified’

ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee has beaten four of the five ranked lightweight contenders sitting underneath him – but one man who's not in the official rankings has been asking the promotion for a World Title shot.

That man is Eddie "The Underground King" Alvarez.

Alvarez, however, has endured a string of bad luck in ONE Championship, winning only one of his four bouts in the organization – not the best argument for a title challenge.

In his debut, the American succumbed to the punching power of Timofey Nastyukhin, losing by first-round TKO. Alvarez turned his luck around in his second outing, where he submitted former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang by first-round rear-naked choke.

His next two fights bore little fruit, however.

Against #4-ranked lightweight Iuri Lapicus at “ONE on TNT I”, “The Underground King” was disqualified for unintentionally striking Lapicus in the back of the head. The decision was eventually overturned to a no contest, but the blemish fired up Alvarez, who wanted another bout soon after.

He got it at “ONE on TNT IV” a month later, where he took on #3-ranked lightweight Ok Rae Yoon. But Ok outworked Alvarez en route to a unanimous decision win.

Still, Alvarez has been adamant about challenging Lee for this belt, and he's even stated his case on social media.

Lee, however, isn’t biting. He believes Alvarez has to earn the shot – not just ask for it.

“It’s a race against time for Eddie,” Lee said.

“He’s getting older. He’s really on a losing streak in ONE Championship, and he wants that title shot so bad. I think he’s just trying to do whatever he can to stir up some noise, to get some people behind him so that hopefully ONE Championship will present him the title shot, gift it to him.”

Some people might think that Lee is ducking Alvarez, but given his willingness to fight other contenders, that can’t be the case. Plus, Lee has not only beaten most of the top-ranked lightweights; he’s finished Nastyukhin, Lapicus, and Japanese legend Shinya Aoki in dominant form.

With that in mind, the reigning king believes it's all about Alvarez earning his fair shot.

“Whatever fight they put in front of me, I’ve always taken,” Lee added.

“I don’t really see how it would be justified, fighting Eddie. But then again, if the company wants to make it happen, I’ve never turned a fight down.”

In the meantime, catch all the action from the previously recorded ONE: FULL BLAST II this Friday, 11 June, at 8:30 p.m. on the ONE Super App.

Read More From ONE Championship:

Tawanchai, Seo Hee Ham Crash ONE’s Athlete Rankings

Mongkolpetch Warns Mahmoudi: ‘Watch Out For My Fist’

How To Watch ONE: FULL BLAST II on 11 June

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Eugene Chung Talks About Lessons Learned In 'The Apprentice'

Being the youngest in the competition, Eugene Chung thought he had the edge over the 15 other global candidates in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.

The 23-year-old digital marketer from the United States felt that the tribulations he had endured in his life was enough to put him over the top in this high-stakes game of business competition and physical challenges for the prize of the $250,000 job offer as ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong's protégé and chief of staff at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore.

Alas, that facade was broken as he was humbled to his core and exposed him that in the business world, he still has a lot of ways to go.

"This show has been one of the craziest experiences I've been through and it's definitely a lot harder and tougher than I expected," he said,

"When I first got into this competition, I was very cocky, I was the youngest person and I was like, 'I'm so cool. I'm the youngest person, and I've been through so much at my age.' But basically, one of the biggest lessons I learned is the tools that got me to where I am today are not going to take me to that next level either."

It was the reality check Eugene needed as he found himself catching up with his more seasoned peers in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.

"I had to change it up. I had to learn to adapt, and I always have to be in this constant growth mindset. So that's the biggest one of the biggest lessons I learned," he said.

But that's not all, as Chung's need to further improve his communication skills was exposed, especially after two losses as the project manager.

Taking the lead in week two, nerves got the better of Eugene as he stumbled in the Team Conquest's presentation for a seven-day marketing promotion for Andaz Singapore, one of the few factors which led to their downfall.

The second, however, was more catastrophic as in week seven, Chatri fired him in the boardroom for his poor leadership skills that led to Team Valor losing the wildlife awareness campaign for Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS).

"The second thing I learned was leadership. I definitely learned a lot about how to manage a lot of people, about how to actually manage a team of highly, highly intelligent, successful individuals as well, and that's a completely different ball park especially like if you're in a high pressure stress situation, you're on a time crunch, and you're doing insane projects," he said.

Eugene, however, defended his part and said that he's actually more capable than what the show presented him, noting: "I'm not exactly a fan of how was portrayed. I think I'm a little bit more competent than the show portrays and they took out a lot of the compliments that I received. But at the same time, I understand this is television."

Nevertheless, Chung is taking everything in stride and has no regrets with how he performed in the show.

"I just can't regret anything. I'm super, super grateful and I'm super, super happy that I did something like this. Like it's just a crazy experience that I'm not gonna forget and I'm grateful for that," he said.

More than anything, participating in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition also allowed Eugene to work closely with Sityodtong, learning ten-fold from the man behind one of the world's biggest sports properties.

To him, it was crucial to be broken down as he now picks himself back up and becomes a better businessman, and most importantly, a better person.

"The biggest thing I took away from Chatri's advice in the boardroom was the way I felt afterwards. I definitely knew I was humbled pretty much, I definitely have a sense of humility as well," he said.

"Before this competition, I was the youngest on the show and I've also been doing martial arts as a little kid. I also started living by myself since I was basically 16, I came down to New York by myself with no family and friends and I was able to kind of make something in this situation. And I thought a little bit highly of myself.

"But I realized, 'Hey, maybe I'm not completely 100-percent there and I still have a lot to work on.' And the advice that he gave me in the boardroom, I noticed that there is a sense of truth to them and there's something that I could take from this, especially since he was coming from a very similar situation as I did and he's in a position that he is today. There's definitely something I could learn from this and that's basically what I took this as, as a big learning opportunity. I have a lot of room to grow."  

[astro-onechampionship]

Everything's Water Under The Bridge For Eugene Chung, Clinton Tudor

Tensions were always high in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition that the 16 global candidates always thought that you could cut the atmosphere with a knife.

That's what happens when you're in the middle of this high-stakes game of business competition and physical challenges for the prize of the $250,000 job offer as ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong's protégé and chief of staff at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore.

But there's no incident that perfectly encapsulated the heated environment the candidates were in than when Eugene Chung and Clinton Tudor seemingly came to blows after the physical task in episode four.

With the two teams battling in bubble football, Chung went on the offensive and ruthlessly bumped the opposing team, including Tudor. Team Valor, meanwhile, was fully aware of the edge Team Conquest had with Niraj Puran Rao, an experienced footballer in his own right.

In the end, though, Team Conquest's strategy worked with Joy Koh scoring the lone goal after 10 minutes.

But the battle didn't end from there, with Clinton and Eugene engaging in a grappling match much to the surprise of everyone, including guest star "Super" Sage Northcutt.

Yet Eugene clarified that the whole incident was nothing less than a play-wrestle.

"What happened to us in Sentosa Beach was pretty interesting," he shared, saying that the incident was actually building up from the morning of the challenge. "Me and Louie [Sangalang] kind of already trained before the competition began and it was me, Alvin [Ang], Louie, and Niraj."

"All the boys kind of went to the gym and we all were sparring with each other. Niraj was on the side just lifting weights, watching us what we do, and we're just testing each other out. I already knew that Louie already had MMA experience and I heard that he was an MMA champion. So basically on the beach, we decided to play-wrestle because in Hawaii, that's what a lot of us do. We basically go on the beach in the sand and it's gonna be safe, you're not going to get hurt. And so basically, we play-wrestled there."

That was when Clinton, an alpha in his own right, entered the picture.

"And so in the middle of the play-wrestling, I remember Clinton coming up to us and he wants to kind of join in because he knows fun and the boys were just doing our thing. And I think Clinton also has mixed martial arts experience but in a different field. That was the time when everyone kind of had a tension with Clinton at that point," he shared.

Given the tense situation and the outsided egos between the two candidates, it was bound for a confrontation to happen.

And it wasn't hard to light a spark under the two, with Sho Takei one of those who egged the two to get it on.

"I think Sho overheard and Sho was just like, 'Eugene and Clinton, let's go!' And everybody overheard that too, and everybody just started surrounding us. Basically, the pressure is on right there. We had to kind of do a small wrestling match. We did one round, first to take down, nothing else after that," he said.

It wasn't until Refinery Media founder Karen Seah intervened and put a stop on the instant judo match that doused the fracas.

"Karen came over and started yelling at us because we're just starting trouble," Eugene recounted.

Chung could only smile looking back at that incident as he clarified that there's really no hard feelings between them.

"Those were fun times," he said, even relating that they connect with each other from time-to-time.

"My relationship with Clinton after the show was pretty cordial," he said. "I know that everything that happens on the show just happens. It's good television. Nothing personal with anybody and I know that."

"So me and him communicate here and there on Instagram. I see that he's doing very well and he's really focused on the martial arts, muay thai niche in New Zealand, so I'm very happy to hear that and very happy to see him be proactive with that."

It's a good footnote for two of the most polarizing candidates in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition, one that both could look back on with smiles on their faces.

"It was just fun times. Good memories," said Chung.

[astro-onechampionship]

Angela Lee, Amir Khan, Ritu Phogat Predict ‘The Apprentice’ Winner

On Episode 13 on "The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition," Singaporeans will find out which of the final two global candidates will become ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong’s Chief Of Staff.

The finale, which airs on AXN this Thursday at 8:50 p.m. SGT, will see Sityodtong and special guest Anthony Tan – Group CEO and Co-Founder of Grab – grill Louie Sangalang and Jessica Ramella in a pair of sit-down, face-to-face interviews.

Before the finalists answer the CEOs' questions, however, they will have to go through an Evolve MMA competition team training session.

Some of ONE's superstar athletes have been following the action very closely throughout the season, and they predicted who they think is going to win the US$250,000 contract to work as Sityodtong’s protege in Singapore.

The athletes had to throw up a peace sign for Filipino candidate Louie and a heart symbol for Venezuelan candidate Jessica, and the results were unanimous.

ONE Women's Atomweight World Champion "Unstoppable" Angela Lee – who has just recently become a mother to a healthy baby girl – showed her love for Jessica.

Amir Khan, one of the organization's hardest-hitting lightweights, also showed his support for Jessica.

Lastly, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat made her selection - and just like the others, she selected Jessica to bring home the win.

Catch the finale of "The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition" on AXN this Thursday at 8:50 p.m. SGT.

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Jessica and Louie Go Head-to-Head in the Season Finale of ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’

Episode 13 of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” airs this Thursday, 10 June. After 12 weeks of demanding physical tasks, intense business challenges, and high drama, it all comes down to the season finale. 

In the last episode of the inaugural season, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong is joined by special guest Grab CEO Anthony Tan. The two put both finalists through the wringer and subject them to undoubtedly the toughest job interview of their lives. 

From 16 global candidates handpicked from around the world, we come down to two finalists -- Singapore-based Sales Director Jessica Ramella from Venezuela and retired mixed martial artist-turned-entrepreneur Louie Sangalang from the Philippines. 

The winner of the competition will take home a US $250,000 job offer to work directly under Chatri as his protege in business, and be named ONE Championship’s new Chief of Staff. 

Who will win season one of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition”? You’ll have to wait until the episode airs to find out. Catch the action on AXN this Thursday, 10 June, at 8:50 p.m. SGT. For more information and How to Watch, check out the official site at https://www.onefc.com/theapprentice/ 

About “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” 

“The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” invites 16 contestants handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes game of business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore. 

Athletes appearing on the show include former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren, ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee, ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu Phogat, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan, among others. 

“The Apprentice” is one of the biggest non-scripted reality television programs in history, judging the business skills of candidates who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes. 

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Mongkolpetch Reminds Mahmoudi To ‘Watch Out’ For His Fists At ONE: FULL BLAST II

A win for Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy against #4-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi could propel the Thai into the top-five rankings and perhaps even earn him a shot at ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

Mongkolpetch will attempt to overcome Mahmoudi in the ONE Super Series Muay Thai main event of ONE: FULL BLAST II, which airs this Friday, 11 June, at 8:30 p.m. SGT on the ONE Super App.

“Elias has experience in both Muay Thai and kickboxing. He is a sharp and heavy-hitting striker, especially with his fist and elbows,” Mongkolpetch said.

At the same time, the Thai believes he's found holes in Mahmoudi's skill set that he’s looking to capitalize on in their matchup.

“His weaknesses, as I can see, are his legs and chin,” Mongkolpetch added. “He is tall like Alaverdi Ramazanov, who fought [my teammate] Capitan [Petchyindee Academy]. So, we decided to use the same plan, aiming for his calf.

“This trick should allow us to withstand him because he is quite tall. I’ve focused on practicing my punch specifically for him too.”

Mongkolpetch was referring to the calf kick used by Capitan when he dethroned Ramazanov at ONE: UNBREAKABLE this past January to become the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion.

If he does manage to offset the French-Algerian with the same technique, Mongkolpetch will inch closer to ONE Super Series gold – something he believes is almost inevitable.

“I'm ready, 100 percent. I’ve won three fights in a row, and if I can win this fight, I may get into the rankings and have a chance to challenge for the World Title against Rodtang, which is my ultimate goal,” the Thai said. 

“In this fight, I’m going to knock him out, and I want to warn Elias: 'Watch out for my fist.’”

Read More From ONE Championship:

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Jessica Ramella Shares Her Thoughts On 'The Apprentice' And Fellow Finalist Louie Sangalang

The inaugural season of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition comes to a conclusion this week, with its finale episode airing on Thursday, 10 June on AXN.

The competition comes down to two finalists -- Singapore-based Sales Director Jessica Ramella from Venezuela, and retired mixed martial artist from the Philippines, Louie Sangalang.

Looking back at what transpired through several weeks of filming The Apprentice, Jessica shared her thoughts on entering the competition, growing in confidence with each passing episode, and what she thinks about her opponent, Sangalang, in the finale.

“A part of me, when I entered, I was like, I 100% will win this thing. But of course, another part of me had those little voices and doubts in my mind telling me, yeah, why would they pick a girl from Venezuela? It’s a complicated question,” Jessica said about competing against 15 other global candidates.

“I look at the other candidates, and there’s this dude that is huge. There’s this girl that’s in corporate finance, and does amazing things. Of course, you start comparing yourself. At no point in the competition did I think that I didn’t have what it takes. There was never a doubt in me. I just had concerns in different areas.”

However, it didn’t take long for Jessica to grow confident in her abilities. By the middle of the season, she had already established herself as a legitimate threat to enter the final stages of the competition, and perhaps even win the whole thing.

“When I realized that I was the only person who had never been in the bottom three, that’s when I thought there was a chance I would make it far,” Jessica said.

In addition to her strong individual game, Jessica said she also forged a strong relationship with the other finalist, Louie. The two advanced through physical tasks and business challenges, rarely if ever, getting sent to the chopping block in the bottom three.

“Louie and I had a real relationship throughout the entire show. We clicked immediately. Even off-camera, we talked a lot and we spent a lot of time sharing a bit of our backstories with each other. I got to share with him about the experiences in my life and his life that were very similar, which we bonded through. So we did form a very strong bond from day one,” Jessica said.

Both Jessica and Louie played effective strategic games and really showcased their skills every chance they could get. Despite competing against each other in what is touted as the “toughest” Apprentice in the history of the franchise, Jessica and Louie shared a mutual respect.

“I feel that Louie and I had an immense amount of respect for each other as competitors. As you can see he never really came for me, and I never really came for him because I knew that he was incredibly capable,” Jessica said.

“I knew that he was there to get to the finish line, and I could never criticize someone for having a strategy in a competition. As long as you’re playing fair, I respect that.”

It all comes down to the finale. Episode 13 of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition will crown the winner of a US $250,000 job offer to work directly under Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong as ONE’s new Chief of Staff.

Jessica views Louie as a worthy opponent in the finale.

“He’s very good at rationalizing things like getting his thoughts and putting them into bullet points. He’s also like a silent killer, like he’s very good at making sure he gets his point across and that it would be incredibly impactful,” Jessica said.

“I admire him and I think that he is a fighter. He’s a wonderful man, a great husband, a great father, and he’s just a great friend. I couldn’t ask for anyone better to be in the finale with.”

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Irina And Monica, Nazee And Joy Talk About Their Alliance

With stakes at an all-time high, it's understandable if the 16 global candidates in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition truly went the cutthroat route in this high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges. Yet somehow, alliances and friendships were forged along the way, seeing different results for the candidates themselves.

The MoRina Alliance was the most evident, with Monica Millington and Irina Chadsey making it to as far as the top four of this once-in-a-lifetime competition.

"It's not something evil. It's not something that is done to put down the rest of the contestants. It's more of your own support system and having that person you can rely on every step of the way," said Chadsey,  the 29-year-old investment consultant from Russia.

"It's a very strong emotional foundation, and I was very glad and lucky in a sense that I found a partner in Monica because she and I work together so closely. We're linked on an intellectual, emotional, mental level, and we found friends in each other."

Millington, the 30-year-old fashion entrepreneur from the United States, clarified that it wasn't lost between them that only one can win the prize of a $250,000 job offer as ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong's protégé and chief of staff at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore. But both of them understood that as tough as the competition is, you still need someone to lift you up when you're down.

"We kind of thought about it in the same nature as you would think about the Hunger Games. You know there's only going to be one winner at the end, but you're not going to get to the end if you don't have partners in the game. And so we always said we'll deal with the end when we get to it, we'd fight honorably and we'd support each other and remain human throughout all of this. But you can't fight these huge battles and put on these huge impossible tasks and business challenges 100-percent on your own. You needed allies and you needed partnerships and you needed it, your team to be rooting for you to get as far as we got," she said.

Curiously, the MoRina alliance was brought about when both Monica and Irina felt that Louie Sangalang were planting seeds of doubts back in their time together at Team Valor.

"I had become a target for Louie and Irina had noticed that he was kind of poking people to kind of see how they felt about me," recalled Monica. "And she came up to me and she's like, 'Listen, it's not my best interest to tell you this, but you need to watch your back.' So I thought that was really cool of Irina because she could have very easily sat there and played the game. And we decided to have that conversation instead and we wanted to stay human throughout all of this and we wanted to fight with honor as ourselves instead of succumbing to the competition. And so I think that that was something I really admired about Irina and I wanted to be on her team, because of the way that she addressed that."

Truly, it paid dividends for Millington and Chadsey as they acted as each other's backers when things were down.

"Many times, we wanted to quit every minute. I remember walking down the Andaz hallways being like, 'This is it. I'm gonna walk out and I'm done.' But having Irina or Jessica come up to me and say, 'You're not quitting! You're better than that!' That was really, really important," said Monica.

Not even their firing in episode 11 could dim the standout pitch the MoRina alliance had for Habitat for Humanity, with the two taking pride in how they made their presentations despite all the difficulties they endured.

"Monica and I would literally sleep for 30 minutes before we had to go to present our final presentation on Twilio. We went to the makeup room at about five in the morning to get ourselves ready and we were both looking in our mirrors respectively, and we could feel how the last drips of energy were leaving us. But then Irina slapped [some sense into me] and Monica also did that and we said let's get this (expletive) together," shared Irina. "We were so close and we cannot let this happen. MoRina is stronger than this, and in the end, the passion, the adrenaline, everything kicked in."

"This was the business challenge where Chatri said that this was our best performance ever, because we literally put our 200-percent to make sure that no matter how she would feel, no matter how crappy twe might look, we still put our game on and we're ready to fight."

To a lesser degree, there's also the bond between Nazee Sajedi and Joy Koh -- one that was even noticed by Chatri as a political game being played within Team Conquest that ultimately cost their downfall in the halfway point of the competition.

"There was obviously some alliance already happening from Jess and Kex because they're from the same team. And I don't think it was in that alliance. So it was really difficult to manage these personalities for that task," looked back Joy, who took the role as the project manager in the business task which needed teams to come up with collaborative product Jewel Changi Airport retailers The Shirt Bar and Bengawan Solo.

Tensions were definitely rising in week five that saw Nazee and Joy constantly butt heads with Jessica Ramella, Niraj Puran Rao, and Kexin Ye. Team Conquest's loss that week, however, proved to be costly as Koh was later on shown the door.

Joy, however, argued that more than the in-game alliance, what she had with Nazee isn't solely a political move at all. "It's called a friendship," she said during the reunion show.

"I think it's a real friendship that was happening. I love that girl and we're still really good friends up to this point, even though we're not in the same country anymore. It is quite political because at the end of the day, this is a competition and these people are in there to win some more than others, and so I think for some others they took it a lot more. They did what was politically right, and some others just did what was right."

Like Koh though, Sajedi was soon given the pink slip as she was fired in episode nine.

Still, at the core of it all, these alliances are only rooted on one simple thing: their friendship.

"Monica is one of my best friends for life, I can tell that for sure right now after the competition," said Irina. "I think we are breaking stereotypes about how well Russians and Americans can get together. And secondly, it's all about women supporting women, us uplifting and empowering each other. And I think this competition, with this tough environment that we were in, is such a great example of how you can exemplify these values that are true to yourself."

Catch the episode 12 reunion show of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition this week as it is showing across Asia on AXN, the show’s official Asian broadcast partner, with markets to include Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is also available on other platforms and TV networks across Asia, including MediaCorp (Singapore), Abema (Japan), KompasTV (Indonesia), Amarin TV (Thailand), LINE TV (Thailand), TV5 Network (Philippines), and HTV (Vietnam).

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By Finding A Relatable Partner, Louie Sangalang Made It To The Top Two

Being in the top four, Louie Sangalang knows that all bets are off if he truly wants to be "the one" in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.

But never in his wildest dreams that one of the most crucial business challenges he will have to partake in is something that hits close to home.

"This is a particular challenge that I was not expecting," he admitted. "I was telling my wife about it and when we watched the episode, my wife was bawling her eyes out. I wasn't expecting a challenge that really has such a human connection."

The final four global candidates were tasked in episode 11 to work on a concept using Twilio's technology in boosting the donations and volunteers for specific non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

And the one that was given to Sangalang and partner Jessica Ramella? LOVE, NILS, a three-and-a-half year old organization which is looking after cancer patients and their families in the battle against the big C.

"LOVE, NILS began because my son had cancer," shared LOVE, NILS founder Lesli Berggren. "The cancer journey wasn't easy and my son Nils was 12 when he was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma and he was treated in an amazing hospital here in Singapore for a year. There were a lot of complications and need for outside resources to support the emotional side that my son needed, but also for my family and his twin sister Claire. He developed some more complications and received a stem cell transplant that transplanted us to Seattle. Unfortunately, he passed away six months after that and I came back to Singapore to continue to take care of his sister."

Spurred by her thoughts of lending a helping hand to those currently treading the dreaded path her family took, Berggren took it upon herself to set up a charity in aiding the process.

"I knew that I had gained a lot of knowledge about the hospitals and the care they provide for these families and I felt I had the responsibility that I can help these families," she said.

"I put together an organization called LOVE, NILS in honor of my son, and we didn't have any money to throw out in it. I asked a lot of my friends to help me and be volunteers and help fund some of the programs. Three and a half years later, I'm really thankful to say that we have a powerhouse of amazing volunteers that support these programs, nine programs in two hospitals that are the major hospitals that treat children with cancer from all over Southeast Asia. We have a lot of children that come from Indonesia, the Philippines, and in Malaysia, so it's quite an amazing mix of kids that I feel very honored and privileged that we get to support, that we provide care coordinators, art sessions, T-shirt masterpieces, and so many things that just try and bring smiles and some respite to these children."

The challenge didn't just tug on Sangalang's heart, but it also gave him flashbacks of the battles he had to endure when he was just 21 years of age.

"Cancer is a disease that is not very easy to cure, a disease that is not very cheap to cure. So there's only so many financial resources to be able to go through the appropriate medications," he said. "There's no parent who wants his child to go before him or her. And I could relate to that. how my parents felt when I had [cancer] when I was 21. When I got sick and I realized that my parents were spending so much, I was thinking, 'Is it even worth it?,' knowing that your parents are financially wrecked. So these thoughts came to me and I was thinking much more with kids who don't have that kind of level of maturity, who don't have a complete understanding of the world. So it is, for me, something that is real and something that needs to be addressed."

That's why it was imperative for Louie and Jessica to not just be able to deliver a concept that would impress the judges, led by ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, but also find a concept that could be used by LOVE, NILS moving forward.

"We were approaching the challenge from a different perspective. We were approaching it from a perspective that most cancer patients are not necessarily treated as such," shared the usually stoic Sangalang, who really hammered on capturing the emotional side of the prospective donors and volunteers in helping LOVE, NILS. "There is a psychosocial aspect of it. When people are becoming so desperate, they really want to live, they're just so scared that they're gonna pass away, and this creates so much discord in your head."

Then came Nils' Pals, an AI chatbot which bridges the gap between the patients and the donors themselves. The chatbot Claire was named after Nils' twin and daughter of LOVE, NILS founder Lesli Berggren.

"When Jess I created the product, it allows a cancer patient to be able to reach out directly to a care counselor which LOVE, NILS provides. And that to me is such an immediate response in a situation. People will want to reach out to someone and it's amazing how technology just gets us connected," he said.

"Basically, I look at it this way, we have a suicide hotline. And the project that Jessica and I worked on is similar to that, but instead of suicide, you have someone who's ready, because this person may want to know more about the disease, or may want to have access to treatments or whatnot. And that's one of the components, I think, in cancer recovery or cancer rehabilitation that is not really addressed."

Safe to say, Sangalang and Ramella knocked the challenge out of the ballpark that LOVE, NILS is considering adapting that concept in the future.

In turn, Louie and Jessica find themselves the last two candidates standing, fighting tooth-and-nail for the honor to win the $250,000 job offer as Sityodtong's protégé and chief of staff at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore

With two episodes left, Sangalang said that he's willing to lay it all on the line to be considered "the one."

"I know that I can be a person that can't be relatable to the universe because I'm a very reserved and quiet person, but what I assure you is that I will continue to deliver. I will do my best to win the top spot," he said.

Catch the exciting finale of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition as it is showing across Asia on AXN, the show’s official Asian broadcast partner, with markets to include Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition is also available on other platforms and TV networks across Asia, including MediaCorp (Singapore), Abema (Japan), KompasTV (Indonesia), Amarin TV (Thailand), LINE TV (Thailand), TV5 Network (Philippines), and HTV (Vietnam).

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ONE Championship Ranks In Nielsen’s Top 10 Sports Properties For Viewership And Engagement

The numbers don’t lie: ONE Championship has a loyal fan base.

According to a report released by Nielsen, the Singapore-based martial arts organization ranked among the top ten global sports properties for online viewership and engagement in the first quarter of 2021 and surpassed the UFC in terms of reach.

Moreover, the organization saw tremendous growth with its number of followers on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube – a number that grew by 113% since January of this year.

None of the other sports organizations on the list came close to that level of growth. The second best was Formula 1, which saw an 85% increase since the beginning of 2021.

ONE Championship is one of three martial arts organizations on the list, with the other two being the UFC and Bellator MMA. The UFC began in 1993, Bellator MMA in 2008, and ONE Championship in 2011.

Despite being the youngest of the three organizations, ONE Championship ranked #4 in total online views at more than 6.1 billion, just behind the UFC, which ranked #3 at 6.5 billion and well ahead of Bellator MMA, which ranked #14 at 386 million.

As for engagement on individual posts, ONE Championship came in at #5, right behind the NBA at #4, but just ahead of the UFC at #6. Bellator MMA, on the other hand, ranked #20.

Up next, catch the previously recorded ONE: FULL BLAST II on 11 June on the ONE Super App.

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